Lantern



April 18, 1933. 5 PlxLEY ET AL 1,904,248

LANTERN Filed'Nov. 25, 1929 5 sheets-sheet 1 l" EL f1 .il 17 I a? Judson S- Pik/5y; l

April 18, 1933. 1 s. PIXLEY ET AL 1,994,248

v LANTERN Filed Nov. 25, 1929 5 Sheets-Shea?I 2 April 18, 1933. 1. s. PlxLl-:Y ET A1. 1,904,248

LANTERN I Filed Nov. 25, 1929 s sheets-sheet 5 Patented Apr. 1.8, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE N, `JUnsON s. rriEEY, OE NEW YORK, NjY., ANnMAErIN ENDEE, OE GLEN RIDGE, JERSEY, nssIGNoEs To AEMSPEAE MANUEAOTUEING GOMPANSQOE NEw'roEk,

'A N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEWYOEK LANTEEN,"

Y. Application med November 25, was.:.senza No.l 409.603. j

This invention relates to lanterns such as c tho-se used by railroad trainmen, switchs men, etc., in Vsignaling at night. To lessen the fire hazard and general inconvenience of oil burning lanterns `there lhas been a v considerable desire to use' an electric lamp. Several' 'designs'of'such lamps have been tried out but forvarious reasons `without satisfactory results. v

Cnel such design has included the `customary handle and skeleton framewith thel lamp extending downwardly in the lower portion of the frame and with a battery carried between lthe handle and lamp. OneV serious Objection to this lamp hasfbeen'its high vcent-er of gravity, making it top heavy and easyto topple over." Another objection has been the poor visibility yof, theflightfat times".v l'lhefv necessity of swinging the lamp in either or both a vertical and horizontal'. plane makes it necessary for thelamp't'ofbe seen on all sides and lprecludes"solution of the problem of deficient light intensity by the usel vof the usual parabolic reflectors. Such reflectors would not vallow thetransmission of. someof the signals, when, forexample, the brakeman swings his'lantern over his head. Y .c Y One object of this invention is to over#A come these disadvantages and provide a conY` 1 venient, compact and' inexpensivel lantern capable of 'being seen much better at a distance thanis the usual eleotric'lanterny re' gardless of the direction in which the lantern swings. f Another object is to get a maximum light intensityfor a minimum cost.

Another object -to mountA an v,electric Ylamp. or bulb so as to distribute y.light-rays similarlyto the familiar oilburningla'nt'ern being mounted vso that the bulbextends up?` wardly from the base.Y f ,Y According to thisinvention an axialrelector is mounted on one -side of the lamp sov that anotherlight image is provided adj acent. the lamp, boththe lamp and this image being visiblefrom all around'directions, this image being adj acentthelainp and causing the two apparent li ghtsourcesto appear as a single .5G-and larger light source whenfviewed from .af

j 'rigeis detail-sawing' distance. Specically two conical reflectors are arranged'with their apices closely adj acent the lampone below and o'nevabovethey lamp. To make the lamp and image appear larger a small .removable globe is used, s 55,

designedthat theilamp appears larger, it magnifying the raysv on all sides and atthe top.` Tov provide for diifejrentcolored lights this'globe may be'made of the desired color and a vnumber of- `different colored globes e carried, since the globe is a vest pocket size vand readily attached or removed yduring use;l

of the lantern. j, instead of having a pushbutf,v ton or other projectingswitch yactuator in the way of the user whereit is likely to bey accif dentally opened or closed, the switch cone. Y 7

Vtrolling the lampis located between'theilamp andl battery 'and operable in response to "rela,-Y

tive movement between the lamp base vand the battery. The simplicity and few number of 70 the parts necessary make thisswitchmuch superior to those whichl have'previously been used in such lanterns.,

VReferring to the drawings Fig.`1. shows one embodiment of thisinven-f tion.V `H

the globe between thetwo'r'eectors. F ig. 3 is a Vsectionthrough the" upper re'-v flector and top of the lantern..

v f ,K Fig. t is a perspective showing the bayonet Slots the sides ofthe lamp base.

Fig. 5 is atop view showing thelamp base in place on the-battery but with-the upper, portion of the reflector broken awa 85 spring c ip for the Fig; 6Y isa-detail of the globe. Y

Fig. 7 isa lside view of a lantern embodying the preferred form ofthe invention.

Figs. 8 andQ' are detail views showing the 9aV receptacle'for. spare globes and lamps.'

` f In Fig. 1 th'eglanternillustrated comprises f the usual handle 10, preferably of insulating material or covered with insulation and secured. to the .supporting frame 11,*which is o5 ofthe .general-[shape shown. An electricA lamp bulb 12 is supplied from a battery 13 of c the v'customary dry cell type through one terminal 14` of thebatteryconnected tothe .center contact ofthe lamp',V while fthe other j 100 Awhen the lamp is not in use. 20'

lterminal 15 is grounded to the lamp base or Yis secured to the container 16 by means of pins 22 on the container entering the bayonet slots 18 shown more clearly in Fig. 4.

The yieldable latch or spring member 19 secured to the side of the cover as shown prevents the pins 22 from accidentally coming out of their slots when the lantern is Ain use. rlhe top 20 of the cover 17 is provided with a central opening through which one terminal 14 of the battery projects to engage the center lamp contact. The top of the cover also has an opening 21 through which the Vother battery terminal 15 may project A strip of insulation 21 prevents the battery terminal 15 from accidentally contacting with the cover.

To supply current to the lamp the cover 17 is rotated relative to the container 16 and bat- ;tery 13 until the terminal 15 engages the top 25 e 22 and bayonet slots 18 are made of different sizes so that it will be impossible for the cover to be fitted to the container 16 in any but the correct manner.

Y As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a conical reflector 23 is located below the lamp and another conical reflector 24 whose sides slope more 'steeply is arranged above the lamp with its apeX adjacent the lamp so that in use an image of the lamp is seen 'on'the' upper reflector 24` near its apex. These reflectors are preferably chromium plated so as not to tarnish in use since they are not protected. To malre p the light source on the lamp12 and its image on the reflector' 24 appear larger a magnifying globe 25 fits over the lamp and is readily removed. Y y

This. globe, is so shaped as' to enlarge the appearance of the filament whenviewed from any position on all sides or vfrom the top, so that the image in the reflector 24 also is enla-rffed. 50 2D The lantern top 26 is pivotallyy secured at 27 as shown in Fig. 3, and a spring clip 28 engaging the under side of the frame member 29 retains the top 26 in position during use but permits the top tobe readily raised. Pivot 27 has its aXis substantially parallel to the plane of the handle. 10.l This permits the top to be raised so as to permit access to the reflectors, the lamp and the battery and removal, replacement or repair of the parts.

The upper reflector 24 may be'pivotally secured to the top 26 and afterthe top has been raised this reflector may be movedfrom its .position by swinging it around its pivot 30 upon release of the spring clip 31 holding the reflector in position with respect to the top 26. n Y

The spare globe 32 and lamp bulb 33 are shown as being held above the reflector 24 by means of the spring Vclips 34 and the support 35 respectively. When the reector 24 has been dropped one of these spare globes or bulbs may be removed or inserted. When the top 26 is raised and the reflector lilrewiselraised away from thelamp,the globe 25 is removable by an upward thrust which disengages the globe from the spring lingers 36 engaging the inside ofthe globe, as shown in Fig. 6. These spring fingers 36 are secured to a metal gaslret 37 fitting around the base of the lamp and preventingv the entry of any rain or snow jinto the lamp soclret when the globe is volf or being changed. l ,y

Vilithin the reflector 24 or top 26 may be carried globes 'of different colors so that a light of any desired color can be available on removal of the existing globe and Vsubstitution of the globe of the desiredcolor.

ln operation rotation of the cover 23 with respect to the container 16V causes the contact member 15 to engage or disengage the top 20. rl`he lamp base and cover 17 fits over the container sufficiently snugly so that therer is no danger of the switch being opened or closed accidentally. In all operative positions of the switch the pins 22 are within the slots 18 and prevented from accidentally be-` coming disengaged by'the finger 19 of spring member 19. To remove the/battery the cover 26 and reflector 24 are first raised to an outof-the-way position.

Then the lamp base and reflector 23 are the slots 18. Then the' lamp baseand reflector ik can be slid upwardly oil the container 16. The battery may be readily withdrawn and a new one inserted when the cover 17 is removed. f i i l The upper-reflector 24 is preferably removable-*for instance-#it may have a flange 40 and pin 41 interlocking 4with a lia-nge 42 proi jecting downwardly from the top. lThis flange 42 forms a chamber in which clips 43 and 44 may be provided so as to permit the carrying of extraer spare globes and/or lamps of any desiredcolor. It is thus possible to readily change the color of the light asis frequently necessary lin R. signalling'. `Al'single lantern may thus take' the*` place of a number' of different colored lanterns. Y

We claim:

1. A lantern provided lwith a handle, a. supporting frame, a lamp within said frame, a circula-r reflector aroundsaid lamp, a battery below said lamp, one terminal of said battery Y being connected to one lamp terminal, the other lamp terminal being grounded to said minal of said battery' and reectorv for completing or opening the circuit through said lamp to light the same in response to movement of said battery relative to said reflector, and said means including a container for said battery, a rotatable connection mechanically securing said container to said reflector, a metal portion within said reflector and recessed to be out of Contact with both battery terminals in one position of adjustment of said connection between the reflector and container and in electrical contact with one of said battery terminals'in anotherposition of adjustment of said mechanical connection, said mechanical connection including a pin and slot on opposite sides of said reector and container, and yieldable means for retaining said pin within its slot.

2. A lantern' provided with a handle, a supporting frame, a lamp within said frame, a. circular reflector around the base of said lamp, a conical reflector supported above the lamp, a magnifying globe supported by said circular reflector, a battery below said lamp, one terminal of said battery being connected to one lamp terminal, the other lamp terminal being grounded to said reflector and means between the other terminal of said battery and reflector for completing or openinv` the circuit through said lamp to light the same in response to movement of said battery relative to said reflector, and said means including a container for said battery, a rotatable connection mechanically securing said container to said reflector, a metal portion within said reflector and recessed to be out of contact with both battery terminals in one position of adjustment of said connection between` the reflector and container' and in electrical contact with one of said battery terminals in another position of adjustment of said mechanical connection and said conicalreflector being removable for insertion and removal of said magnifying globe.

3. A lantern comprising a receptacle for a battery, a lower reflector mounted on the top of the receptacle and having a central lamp socket and fastening means for a magnifying lens surrounding the socket, a framework carrying the receptacle, a handle connected to the upper part of the framework, a top hinged to the framework and having an upper conical reflector movable with it anda magnifying lens detachably mounted on the lower reflector with its tip approximately in contact with the apex of the upper reflector, said lens and lamp being removable when the top of the lantern is raised, said upper reflector functioning to prevent accidental removal of said lens when in lowered position and a switch for controlling the circuit through the lamp and battery.

4, A lantern comprising a receptacle, open at the top, a battery removably mounted in said receptacle and havinga center terminal,

a second terminal eccentric thereof, a rotatable cover forthe receptacle having a plate with an opening therein for the two'terminals and rotatable over the eccentric terminal, a.

reflector supported by the coverv and having a socket for a lamp bulb, a lamp detachably mounted in said socket and having a center contact electrically engaging said center terminal of the battery and having an outer conlmeans arranged with its apeX close to said lamp so that an image of the light may appear in said reflector close to the lamp itself, said lamp and its reflected image being visible from any side thereof, a magnifying lens between said lamp and reflector adapted to enlarge the' image in the reflector, and a magnifying lens on each side of said lamp whereby the lighted lamp and its reflected image appear from a distance as a single and magnified light source and means for demountably securing the reflector to the frame so as to prevent the removal of the lens when the reflector isv in its reflecting position above the lamp.

6. A. lantern having a lamp, energy supplying means for the lamp, a conical reflector adjacent said lamp and in substantially vertical alignment therewith, a lens between said lamp and reflector, and means for yieldably mountingsaid lens whereby itvmay be released by an'upward thrust on the lens,

said conical reflector being removably mounted so that said reflector'when in operative position holds the lens against removal.

7. A lantern 'having a lamp, means for supplying energy to said lamp, a frame carrying said lamp and energy means, a handle for the frame, a tapered reflector opposite said means arranged with its apex close to said lamp so thatvan image of the light may appear in said reflector close to the lamp itself, said lamp and its reflected image being-visible from any side thereof, a magnifying lens between said lamp and reector adapted to enlarge the image in the reflector, a magnifying lens on each sid-e of said lamp whereby the lighted lamp and its reflected image appear from a distance as a single and magnified light source, said lenses being formed into a. pocket sized globe, resilient means around the lamp for yieldably retaining said globe about the lens, said globe being released from said resilient means on pulling-it upward,said tapered reflector being substantially conical in shape and ymounted with its apex substantially contiguous said globe whereby said reiiect'or" acts as al Step to preclude the globe being Withdrawn Without removal of said reiiector, and said reflector being so mounted in the frame as to permit 5 raising the reiector in order to remove the globe.

JUDSON S. PIXLEY. MARTIN BENDER. 

